She had effectually stopped her for the moment, and, herself moved by this statement in words of thoughts often present to her, she rose and left the room.
She had said nothing that Grace had not remorsefully said to herself, but the very truth in her speech made her angry.
She heard Mr. Sandford's voice. He was calling his sister's name. He met her on the stairs in tears.
She passed him quickly, and indignant, and in a mood full of irritability, he strode into the drawing-room to Grace.
"I will have you know," he said in his angriest and loudest voice, "that I will not allow you to bully my sister."
"No," said Grace, languidly, "you like to monopolise that privilege!"
"I dare speak in any way to you. Why are you to be always studied? and why is every one to treat you as though you were a being of another sphere? You do bully your sister, and you would bully me if I were to be in the very least afraid of you. But I am not. Your sister has been trying to make me see that you ought to be humoured--she drew an affecting picture and then wept over it."
"What do you know about my conduct to my sister? There is no one I more respect."
"Well, you have the oddest way of showing it I ever knew," and Grace made a provoking gesture of astonishment, and gave a laugh of derision.
This completely exhausted Mr. Sandford's very slight stock of patience. He went into a most fearful rage and said things that made Grace shiver. Pale in her turn she left the room, and for a second time left his house in anger.
She left without her things, wrapping herself up in her cloak, and resolved to go to her sister, and not to make a sign. She was quite, quite sure Mr. Drayton would receive her at any rate for a time, and she must make some new arrangement. Return here she never would.
Mrs. Dorriman heard the loud voice, and as soon as she had recovered her composure she hurried to the scene of action, to find Mr. Sandford ill, as he always was when passion got the mastery of him.
In her anxiety about him Grace was forgotten, and it was not till dinner-time that her departure was discovered, and poor Mrs. Dorriman felt as though troubles were indeed her portion.
Mr. Sandford did not rally as he usually did, and she on her own responsibility sent for the doctor.